Need advice

Since I found out that I have "thick blood", my Dr. has been trying different things to help. I cannot take any kind of anti-inflammatory like aspirin or Ibuprofen due to stomach issues. So far we have tried Heparin (lo-dose), 2 natural type meds (one was made of ground up earth worms) and I am trying fish oil right now.

Within a short time of taking any of these, I get a headache that ranges from aggravating to bedridden. They are very hard to treat, also. I cant figure out why having the blood move easier thru the brain should irritate it! Anyone else have this problem or any ideas why it happens? I really need to find something I can tolerate, so I dont have a stroke!

Hugs,
Cindy

I have really no advice except that I've heard meds like Plavix help not only with the thick blood but with migraine, too.
The downside, you have to be on it for the rest of your life as the risk of clotting increases a 'lot-fold' once you stop the medication.

But maybe it is well worth it, who knows?? Free of pain, free of migraines??

Risa

30yrsofheadache wrote:Since I found out that I have "thick blood", my Dr. has been trying different things to help. I cannot take any kind of anti-inflammatory like aspirin or Ibuprofen due to stomach issues. So far we have tried Heparin (lo-dose), 2 natural type meds (one was made of ground up earth worms) and I am trying fish oil right now.

Within a short time of taking any of these, I get a headache that ranges from aggravating to bedridden. They are very hard to treat, also. I cant figure out why having the blood move easier thru the brain should irritate it! Anyone else have this problem or any ideas why it happens? I really need to find something I can tolerate, so I dont have a stroke!

Hugs,
Cindy

Can you try baby aspirin? It is not hard on the stomach and if you like milk, take it with a small glass. My husband takes one everyday to prevent stroke etc.

777Trinity

I have not heard of thick blood. Dies the doctor think this is causal for the migraines?
I found that my headache frequency increased taking the omega3 pills also. No idea why.

Migrainegirl wrote:I have not heard of thick blood. Dies the doctor think this is causal for the migraines?

Regardless of what the Dr thinks, ' a thick' blood can definitely be the cause of migraine or more migraines.
On the Polish forum we had a participant whose migraine ceased once she started Plavix - it was like a miracle!!

Risa

Thanks for the ideas. I cant take baby aspirin and I would be really scared to try Plavix considering the migraines from milder drugs like it! I could understand why these things would improve migraine if you have hypercoagulation (thick blood), but not why they got worse.My case seems to be caused by the Lyme or other infections I got at the same time.

I am going to talk to my Dr. about getting an MRI to look for Chiari. I have been doing a lot of research about the type of head and neck pain I have now and it seems to match. I have approached her before about this, but she said it would have shown up on a scan before. Usually she is pretty reasonable, so I hope she will do it.
Hugs,
Cindy

Plavix is one of the more tollerable meds to help make the blood more slippery. You might not have a choice whether to try it or not. Effient may be an option.

I say a neuro-vascular interventionalist. I don't have factor V, but I clot pretty quickly and am on Plavix and ASA daily. One approach is ASA + Plavix + Heparin.

One option may be apheresis to filter the blood. I do know if I don't take ASA or something like Plavix, that I won't have to worry about M's.

PF, Do you feel that your migraines are better or worse with these drugs? I just need to breathe before I try something else. The headaches I got from these meds, for me, would not be worth living with. They do not respond to any of my arsenal and basically make me house bound if not bed bound.

If it came to that choice (I hope it doesnt) I would choose to live with the chance of stroke. And yes, I have seen and worked with many stroke victims. I have already spent too many years like that! The thing is that I dont know if this state of hypercoagulation is temporary due to Lyme or not.

Hopefully will find out at my next visit if it is genetic. I really doubt it since no one on either side has had strokes. My grandma and great- grandma lived to mid nineties on my Dads side. My Moms side has no history of heart disease or stroke. Hopefully, Im not the first....
Cindy

sorry, had a post almost complete and zoom....power failure.

cindy, it's hard to say if plavix has treated my M's. I feel it has due how it helps to keep platelets from sticking together and has shown some benefit in inflammation. ASA has done that as well. the other cardiovascular meds treat the problems too, which in turn help with m's. i take a med for my pituitary tumor that treats M's as well.

i do know that without Plavix risk of stroke and death is increased. for me, it's an absolute. strokes really, really suck. i had one in 06 which have left some lasting problems that will never go away. i'd talk to your doc and lay all the cards on the table. HA can be managed. you'll find out that docs in some stages of your life and with diseases that can cause you to push up daisies will say this will kill you, migraines won't. it may sound flippant, but they will say this. however you still have to tell them how much they cause problems for you and your life.

plavix zaps my energy. without it i have a good chance of not seeing sunlight. one question, were you on generic plavix (clopidogrel) or brand? Plavix within the last 3 months went generic. i won't touch generic until it's proven. god knows where some of this crap in generic form comes from, but i know that it's enough for my docs to question them. you may need to give it time to let your body adjust.

i'd get the docs on the hyper-coagulation fast to see if it's lyme related (sounds like that can be addressed with some other meds). i'd have them send me to a hemotologist asap.

had a better reply, but it got zapped.

take care,
pf

Thanks, PF. I have not tried Plavix or any generic of it yet. I guess I would be willing to try down the road, but not right now. These meds also seem to cause some depression in me, so not too eager to try again! I will talk to my Dr. about the Hematologist, though.
Cindy

30yrs...

Hi, started to do some research on Plavix/ASA relationship. I have to pull the full PI report for some more review. Plavix is distinct from aspirin and offers different type of treatment rather than just making blood think Plavix doesn't thin the blood, but keeps the platelets and other gunk from sticking to each other, and the vessel walls.

Are you allergic or have been told you're allergic to ASA? Seriously I wouldn't wait around on this issue. You guys probably get my point about meds like Plavix--they can make things rough, but....what are you going to do?

I spent about 20 minutes after I wrote the last sentence regarding plavix. not in the same drug class. but if you don't try, you won't know.

unless you've tried it over time, really I in a bit of concern of how you feel about stroke risk/vs side-effect of plavix. If you've never taken it, how do you know it's going to make you sick? i'm just trying to figure this out.

Remember, Plavix isn't aspirin so someone must give this some thought. It frankly sends shiver up my spine regarding stroke.

I got some test results from a carotid ultrasound and it looks like i have mild to moderate occlusions in my carotids. Plavix helps to treat not just the heart or brain, but the entire vascular system. Your docs need to give this some thought and you need to talk with them of why Plavix would or could make you sick.

I'm just trying to wrap my brain around this. It does make you tired, and a few others--you can check out a ton of info. I'm not by any means diminutize your feelings. I guess I know personally what this med is doing to keep me alive, limited stroke as much as possible, and still cringing from my stroke.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a601040.html

Good luck!

PF

I dont know what side effects I would get from Plavix, and if my Dr. suggests I try it, I will. I have never been able to take any type of anti-inflammatory due to damage of being undiagnosed with Celiac for so long. So, I actually have 2 seperate issues with these meds. One, gastrointestinal, the other a huge increase in migraine severity and frequency.

I usually have migraines about10-15 days/month. With the meds I have tried its daily and also gets worse each day as it builds up. I have a large arsenal of meds from triptans up to the strongest pain meds. By the third day, Im in bed. I have a huge problem with clearing meds from my body (genetic), so my Dr. has to juggle everything. I appreciate all your advice and I will talk to my Dr. when I see her next month.

Hope you are hanging in there, too!
Cindy

cindy,

hope you get some rest. plavix isn't an anti-inflamatory medication. it's an anti-platelet. it keeps platelets from sticking together, making the blood more "slippery" thus reducing clot risk.

bleeding could be an issue with plavix concerning GI though. risks and benefits need to be weighed. of course none of this is easy.

take care!

Yes, anti-platelet. Sorry if I caused confusion by placing Plavix right there with aspirin and ibuprofen.

Yeah, why don't you discuss it in the length with your doctor Cindy. Think carefully of pro and cons, and other considerations.
The Polish lady I mentioned earlier received enormous relief from Plavix,
but she didn't have so many other issues like you to worry about, also true.

Good luck with everything, dear Cindy. And hugs !!!

Risa